Kevin Paffrath in 2021 CA Governor's race
On Drugs:
State bungled legalized cannabis; 80% of sales still illegal
Cannabis was legalized by voters five years ago. Here we are five years later and 80% of cannabis sales are still illegal and untaxed. Why?
Because you've got this patchwork of miscellaneous ideas with good intentions but no leadership to bring them together.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle on 2021 CA recall race
Aug 25, 2021
On Education:
Racial disparities in education due to a despair mindset
Paffrath distinguishes himself as the only Democrat on the ballot with a sizable fanbase. But he isn't a party loyalist. He supports the recall and he described Newsom's spending priorities as "a crime" and his anti-recall campaign "disgraceful."
Paffrath also supports the right of gun owners to carry concealed weapons and partially attributes racial disparities in education to a "despair mindset" in Black and Latino communities.
Source: Cal Matters on 2021 CA recall race
Aug 25, 2021
On Energy & Oil:
Allow reasonable upgrades to existing fuel infrastructure
It is well-known that many of our transmission lines are from the 1930s and 1950s and are well past their useful lives, or our 1970s natural gas infrastructure burns much dirtier than it should. However, many cannot be updated because
local codes require certain improvements to be 100 percent green. Thereby, we're mandating 100 percent green while hurting our climate. Allowing reasonable upgrades to existing infrastructure is a must.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune on 2021 CA recall race
Aug 13, 2021
On Gun Control:
We're as far away from the Second Amendment as you can get
California is about as far away from the Second Amendment as you can get. I'm in favor of reasonable gun rules and concealed carry permits by right to trained, lawful gun owners. I believe the California handgun roster and California-compliant weapons
rules are broken rules that have led to surges in gun sales prior to the passing of new gun laws, don't function to prevent crime, and lead to less tax revenue by encouraging citizens to drive guns over state borders to circumvent California laws.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune on 2021 CA recall race
Aug 13, 2021
On Immigration:
Our current legal immigration system sucks
Our legal immigration system sucks. I will make California the first state to work with the federal government and re-envision a new, legal immigration system that's faster and motivates skilled workers to come to
California--like architects and engineers--at the same time as we build more homes and grow our economy. I plan to negotiate this system with the federal government and become a model for the country.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune on 2021 CA recall race
Aug 13, 2021
On Principles & Values:
Recall part of a national referendum on Trumpism
Newsom emphatically defeated a recall aimed at kicking him out of office early, a contest the Democrat framed as part of a national battle for his party's values in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and continued threats from "Trumpism."
Republican talk radio host Larry Elder almost certainly would have replaced Newsom had the recall succeeded. The recall turned on Newsom's approach to the pandemic, including mask and vaccine mandates.
Source: Associated Press on 2021 CA recall race
Sep 15, 2021
On Principles & Values:
YouTube real estate star; politics not a priority
For his interview with CalMatters reporters and editors, the 29-year-old Zoomed in from the same technicolored studio where he's made hundreds of YouTube videos, with more than 400 million views, advising his 1.7 million subscribers how to strike
it rich in real estate. He speaks of state-reshaping policies that sit far outside typical political promises. He calls himself a "JFK-style Democrat," but excoriates the sitting governor and party establishment.
Since launching his campaign, he's crashed Newsom's anti-recall campaign events, baited his opponents into debating him with promises of seven-figure charitable contributions, picked a Twitter fight with comedian Stephen Colbert and threatened to sue
CNN for failing to acknowledge his campaign. "Politics has never been this high priority for me," he said. "I think things changed after I had my second son and I became more aware of some of the disasters that we're seeing in California."
Source: Cal Matters on 2021 CA recall race
Aug 25, 2021
On Welfare & Poverty:
Current system traps people into poverty programs
Look at welfare. Welfare says, "Oh, well, if you want to be on welfare, you have to go work." What happens? People go on welfare, then they get a minimum wage job and guess what happens? They're stuck forever. They never leave welfare.
The same thing happens with rent control. They get stuck in rent control, they never move, they never build wealth. The programs we have right now trap people into the poverty programs.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle on 2021 CA recall race
Aug 25, 2021
Page last updated: Feb 14, 2023